Sparks
by FrackinAmazin
Summary: When Derek is harsh to Ivy, she breaks down in the studio. And who but Karen is there to pick up the pieces and make it all seem better? Happy Valentine's Day, Alexis. Kivy One-Shot. Someone had to go there.


_One month in the workshop_

"Again!" shouted Derek for the third time in the last ten minutes. "Five, six, seven, eight," He counted off in his barking British voice. _"Positively pathetic." _He thought bitterly as he watched Ivy in front of the ensemble. He could only allow this mockery of his choreography to go on for so long.

"Alright, stop! Just stop!" He exclaimed, rubbing a hand over his face. He took deep breath and turned back to face the group. "Seriously, Ivy? A well-trained monkey could learn these steps faster than you could. What in the bloody hell are you doing?" He practically growled at her.

Ivy stood there in front of the ensemble group, blinking at Derek. She opened her mouth to attempt to protest but Derek held up his hand. "It was a rhetorical question, Ivy." He said, shaking his head and sighing. "Come here." He demanded, gesturing for her to step away from the group and come stand near him. Ivy nodded and walked over near him, trying to hold back tears of frustration that were pooling in her eyes.

"Karen, show her how it's done." Derek requested, leaning against the mirror on the wall with a heavy sigh. Karen looked from Ivy to Derek and then stepped in front of the rest of the ensemble who were looking just as shocked. Derek counted off the number again and Karen performed the number nearly flawlessly with the ensemble behind her. About half way through the number, Ivy looked down and brushed tears off her cheeks.

"Alright, that's all for today. You're all dismissed. Ivy, stay back for a moment. I'd like a word." Derek spoke in a steady voice, but it was clear to everyone in the room that he was incredibly displeased with his lead.

The ensemble members, including Karen, quickly gathered their belongings, leaving the studio whispering to one another about the rehearsal cattily.

Once the door had closed behind Karen, who shot Ivy an apologetic look as she walked slowly out of the studio, Derek approached Ivy again. "Well," he said, in the same displeased voice as before, "What is it that you have to say for yourself and your poor performance today in rehearsal?"

Still looking down, Ivy shut her eyes against the tears that still filled them. She took a deep, shuddering breath and swallowed. "I'm just having an off day." She whispered, still not looking up at Derek.

"An off day?" Derek questioned, looking distastefully down at the crumbling Ivy. "That was the most poor rehearsal I've seen from anyone that I've ever worked with-"

"I'm pregnant." Ivy said, cutting Derek off mid-rant and looking up at him for the first time, expecting some sort of compassion out of the stone-faced man in front of her.

Derek blinked at her, unfazed by her statement. He said nothing, looking at her and tilting his side slightly to indicate that she should continue.

"And it's yours." Ivy went on, getting a little frustrated at his lack of response.

Derek stared at her for a few more tense moments before saying, "That's your excuse for today?"

Ivy furrowed her eyebrows at the man standing in front of her. "Yes, that's my excuse for today." She said angrily, stepping toward him.

"So you need tomorrow and the next day off to get it taken care of then?" He said casually, turning from her and walking to the small table in the corner where his messenger bag and water sat.

"Taken care of?" Ivy choked out, realizing for the first time what a mistake it was to sleep with Derek.

"Well, I assume you aren't going to keep the thing. You can't do Marilyn if you're pregnant. How awful of a show would that be. There's nothing sexy about pregnancy, let me tell you-"

"You want me to get an abortion?" Ivy whispered, cutting Derek off again. Derek, who was still shuffling through papers and things in his bag turned over his shoulder to look at her.

"What else would you do?" He questioned, looking at her as thought she were speaking another language. After he spoke her turned back to his bag. He snapped his fingers. "Right, is money the problem then?" Derek asked, not turning to look at her, instead pulling his wallet from his jean pocket. Sifting through the cash in it, he pulled out a wad of hundred dollar bills. He slung his messenger bag over his shoulder and threw his coat over his shoulder.

He walked over to Ivy, pressing the cash into her hand. "Get it done, or consider Karen the new Marilyn." He said, looking her over and shaking his head before leaving the studio.

Ivy heard the door to the studio slam shut. She stared down at the money in her hand. She shut her eyes, taking several deep breaths. Clenching her fists and crumpling the previously crisp bills, she walked to the corner of the studio near her bag.

Ivy slid down the wall, bringing her knees up to her chest. Resting her forehead on her knees and allowing herself to cry. She wrapped her arms around her legs and sobbed, her tears soaking through the grey leggings she wore.

Gasping for breath as she heard the studio door open again, Ivy's head whipped up, expecting it to be Derek coming back to talk to her again. Her heart sank as she saw Karen instead. She wiped her eyes quickly, standing up and again and putting the hand with Derek's money in it behind her back.

"Ivy?" Karen asked softly, stepping toward her. "Are you alright?" Karen had left her cell phone on the table and had come back for it. She hadn't expected to see a distraught Ivy leaning against the mirrored wall of the dance studio.

Ivy cleared her throat and pushed herself up off the ground, turning away from Karen and wiping the her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm fine." She said, straining to keep her voice even.

Having grown up in Iowa, Karen was always taught proper manners by her parents. She had always been a caring girl and never liked seeing someone upset and judging by rehearsal today, Ivy seemed really upset. Karen walked over to Ivy, standing in front of her. "Are you sure? I know rehearsal didn't go well today, but this was just one day and every other day you've been amazing, don't let Derek-"

At the mention of his name, Ivy let out a soft sob. Karen stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening and softening as she watched the usually strong Ivy crumble. "Ivy? What's wrong? What's going on?" Karen asked. Ivy leaned back against the wall, sliding back down it and sitting, sighing heavily and sniffling. Karen sat down next to her, mimicking her position. She hesitantly put her arm around Ivy.

With a soft sigh, Ivy turned and began crying on Karen's shoulder. Karen cautiously pulled her closer and wrapped both her arms around the crying girl. "Shh.." Karen soothed, "It's okay. It's going to be okay." Karen rocked Ivy gently and after a few moments, Ivy pulled back, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen. "What's going on, Ivy?" Karen asked softly.

Ivy sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "I'm pregnant." She mumbled, a few more tears falling down her cheeks.

"What?" Karen asked, incredulously, staring at Ivy.

"It's Derek's.." Ivy whispered pitifully, turning away from Karen and staring down at her hands, throwing the crumbled money onto the ground.

"You slept with Derek?" Karen mumbled softly, tilting her head to try and look at Ivy.

Ivy took an angry breath. "Yes. I slept with Derek. And he gave me that," she said, gesturing at the crumpled bills, "and told me that I had tomorrow and the next day off to get it taken care of."

Karen bit her lip, not sure what to say.

"Congratulations." Ivy whispered to Karen, looking at her and smiling bitterly.

"For what?" Karen asked, confused.

"He told me that if I don't get rid of it that you're the new Marilyn. And I can't get rid of my baby. I just can't." Ivy whispered, closing her eyes against the tears again.

"What are you going to do?" Karen asked softly, scooting closer to Ivy and putting a hand on her knee.

Ivy shrugged, "I'm keeping it. Marilyn isn't worth killing my baby over. I just thought that maybe if I told Derek, he might.." She trailed off, shaking her head. "It's stupid. He doesn't care about anyone but himself and the production."

"He's an ass, Ivy. You deserve better, and you'll find someone who will love you and this baby." Karen said, using her hand to turn Ivy's face toward her, looking into her eyes and smiling softly at her.

"I won't be able to do any musicals, ensemble or not. I can't work, I'm going to have to find a job or something because I won't be able to pay my rent and-"

"Shh.." Karen cut Ivy off. "I'll help you out." she said, smiling at Ivy again. "I have an apartment. I'm really good with kids, my brother and his wife have a few. Let me help you out?" She asked, pleading with her brown eyes.

Ivy looked surprised, "You would do that for me?" she asked softly, tears filling her eyes again. "I've been so mean to you. I slept with Derek for the part and you would still help me?"

"Of course. We don't always deserve the bad things that happen to us, but we just have to do our best to help ourselves and help others." Karen said, honestly.

Ivy blinked at Karen, completely startled that a person would do something like that for another person. They were close now, Ivy's face was mere inches from Karen's. In a moment of pure insanity and intense gratitude, Ivy closed the gap between them. Ivy's lips pressed against Karen's hard, instantly coaxing Karen's lips open as she gasped in surprise. Ivy slid closer, sliding her lips over Karen's.

Karen's hand moved to tangle in Ivy's hair. After a few intense moments, Ivy pulled back. Both girls were breathing heavily; they smiled softly at each other. It was a moment of realization for the both of them. And maybe, just maybe things would work out okay.

As the pair stood and gathered their things, leaving the studio, their hands bumping together casually. It was new beginnings for both of them. A new life for Ivy, and a new role for Karen. But it was a new relationship for the pair as well. After all, when one door closes, another opens.


End file.
